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... guerrillas
Not really a guerrilla grow but all grown by that candle in the sky so thought best in this section as can't see a backyard/windersill section?..
Iv stuck 3x auto in a back garden (not mine) just thought I'd share how they are doing..
I started them in white plastic cups about half filled on the window sill about 10-14days before they went out on the 23/7/19 ..the window only gets around 6hours direct light at the very best but at the time light wasnt great and they looked rather weak &runty for 10days + but they was in minimal soil and like i said didnt get much good light..
I used recycled soil from my indoor grows I reckon about 8/10l containers with drainage holes about 1or 2 inches up from the bottom of the pot around the sides to leave a little res of water just in case ..so I crossed my fingers and left them to it...
They Took quite well.. I was surprised ..bare in mind the day I put then out was day before we had high winds and storm...
I gave them a dose of fishmix at 5ml /L on the 21st that was the first time I watered them before that we had enough rain to keep them going I also gave them a water on 24th as it's been scorching lately it's a pitty we are losing daylight hours now really but will see how they do ...iv got a few snaps of a few autos done on the windowsill aswel that il upload soon

hi
Legalise cannabis, says Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor
Guardian
Siobhan Benita says the capital should make the move to tackle youth crime
The legalisation of cannabis should be tested in London to improve public health and stop young people being drawn into crime, a London mayoral candidate has said.
Siobhan Benita, the Lib Dem candidate for next year’s election, said the idea of legalising the drug was “no longer controversial” and the serious crime in the capital meant it was the right place for the idea to be trialled.
“Illegal drugs activity, especially in the capital, is a big part of pulling young people into serious violence,” she told the Observer. “I want to remove power from those gangs. My question would be, why haven’t we done this yet? It’s not controversial any more. We’ve got enough examples now of countries around the world and we can compare and contrast how they have done it. We now have lots more evidence on where it is working well.”
She said legalisation, which would free up police time, had been supported by prominent former police officers. “This has been a Lib Dem manifesto commitment for several years, but what brought it to the fore for me was my work with the cross-party commission on serious youth violence. There was clear evidence coming out of it that the more exposure [young people] had to the illicit drugs market, the more likely they were to be exposed to serious violence or know people who were.
“With resources stretched as well, police don’t want to be diverted into activity on cannabis. If you can regulate and make sure the quality is much safer, it removes the need for police to be looking out for that.”
Legalisation has growing support among MPs. Several Tories now privately say they believe the idea is gaining ground. Benita cited comments from former Metropolitan police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe last year, in which he called for an “urgent review” of Britain’s cannabis laws. He said the US had shown how changes could be made in a safe way.
“I’ve not seen clear evidence to say change the law now,” he said. “But I have seen clear evidence to say let’s review it, in a time-limited way, not a kicking-into-the-long-grass way. We need to get on with it. We’re lucky – we’re not the pioneers and we can learn from others’ mistakes. The evidence is out there and it shouldn’t be ignored.”
Benita also called for a “youth happy hour” to tackle youth crime and violence. It would see venues across London lay on activities for them between 4pm and 6pm.
“We know there is a problematic time when young people are particularly vulnerable to getting involved in criminal activity or serious violence – that’s as they leave school,” she said.
“I don’t want to be a mayor that says, ‘I’d do this if I had the resources’. The message I’m getting is that there are organisations that have the venues and volunteers. There are a lot of public buildings across London that lie empty.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/14/legalise-cannabis-says-liberal-democrat-candidate-for-london-mayor
Bongme

Hi
The Last Post I have to get a plain to my next job thanks for all your likes its the only currency uk420 has see you next week take care all!
POT of gold on the south coast: British company planning to grow marijuana is plotting £100 million float that will make it largest cannabis business on the London Stock Exchange
A British company which has assembled a heavyweight board and is planning to grow marijuana in England is plotting a £100 million float that would make it the largest cannabis business on the London Stock Exchange.
Cannaray will become the only London-listed UK grower of cannabis next summer if it secures its licence to cultivate the plant on the south coast of England and floats on the stock market as planned.
The company, which has City big hitters on the board including a former Royal Bank of Scotland executive, has just raised £7.8 million and is now in the process of rounding up another £3.5 million of investment.
It then hopes to raise up to £30 million in a stock market float next year which could value it at more than £100 million, making it the largest London-listed cannabis company and the only one with a licence to grow cannabis in the UK.
Chief executive Scott Maguire is planning a main listing on the LSE, rather than floating on the challenger NEX Exchange, which a number of smaller players have done recently.
‘I believe that’s a recipe for failure,’ he said of listing on NEX. ‘You might as well stay private because there’s no volume or liquidity on that exchange. It would be a main board listing that would allow the company to raise the magnitude of capital necessary to become a global cannabis player.’
The cannabis grown by Cannaray will be prescribed by doctors to treat patients suffering from chronic pain, vomiting and nausea caused by chemotherapy, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
It is also in talks to launch its cannabis oils on supermarket shelves by February.
Cannabis-based medicines were made available by prescription through the NHS last year, prompting a number of entrepreneurs to chase London listings to cash in on the fevered enthusiasm.
Cannaray would use the money from the float to start processing the cannabis it will be growing so that it is up to medical standards and ready for patients to smoke, vape or take in the form of oils, capsules or creams.
The firm’s current investors include Newey, Britain’s biggest potted plant grower. The pair have struck a deal so that Newey will grow cannabis for Cannaray, starting with a one-acre greenhouse.
It has applied to the Home Office and is in talks with the authorities, including the police, about securing the site with the help of ex-Special Forces operatives to make it like ‘Fort Knox’, according to Maguire.
It would be only the second greenhouse in Britain where a company grows cannabis legally to sell to patients.
British Sugar grows cannabis in Downham Market in Norfolk for GW Pharmaceuticals, which used to be listed on AIM in London but is now on Nasdaq in New York. That greenhouse, however, is much larger at around 18 hectares. In 2017, local residents complained of a smell from the site.
The exact location of the greenhouse that will grow Cannaray’s product is being kept confidential for now because of the high level of security being built around the site to protect it from being broken into. But it is known it will be close to the south coast of England.
Most start-ups looking to cash in on the hype surrounding cannabis stocks and the legalisation of medicinal cannabis are led by little-known entrepreneurs with boards made up of corporate financiers.
But Maguire, an American biotech veteran who has lived in the UK for more than 20 years, has assembled a heavyweight board and an impressive scientific advisory board.
Cannaray’s directors include Chris Sullivan, former deputy chief executive of RBS, and Sir Nigel Knowles, former chief executive of legal giant DLA Piper, who chairs listed law firm DWF. Both are Maguire’s former golfing partners at Wentworth.
It is the first role for Sullivan since he retired from Santander last year, where he ran the corporate banking division. Previously he was RBS’s deputy chief executive and also ran the bailed-out lender’s corporate banking division.
Sullivan was accused of being ‘wilfully obtuse’ when he gave evidence to the Treasury Select Committee about the notorious Global Restructuring Group (GRG), a division of RBS which critics claim drove to the wall small firms they were supposed to be helping.
A spokesman for Cannaray said Sullivan ‘understands the potential of cannabis medicines as a future replacement for many opioid-based therapies and has a desire to make a positive impact on society.
‘He is also a keen golfer and has read how many golfers are now using CBD [cannabidiol, a cannabis extract] for anxiety and aches and pains.’
Sullivan joined the board as a non-executive director this month, but invested in the company in June. Most of the investors so far are businessmen that Maguire has rounded up.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-7464321/British-company-planning-grow-marijuana-plotting-100-million-float.html
Bongme

Hi
David Lammy Blasts 'Pot-Smoking Stonehead' Cameron For Not Legalising Marijuana
Vid On Link
David Lammy says there is a "hypocrisy" when 'privileged' politicians confess to smoking marijuana but then do nothing about it.
Lammy, himself, confesses to having smoked marijuana himself.
He said: "I first came across marijuana, back in the day, in Tottenham.
"I was 12 at the time and experienced smoking a joint.
"That was the reality, I think, of inner city life in those days."
But he added: "I've recently called for the regulation and legalisation of marijuana because I think that we've lost the war on drugs.
"I'm hugely worried about working-class kids, up and down the country, who end up with criminal records as a result of their marijuana use."
Lammy said: "There are white kids and black kids, working-class, who haven't got the privilege of David Cameron to take a joint.
"This big confession that David Cameron made - isn't it time that we actually did something about it?
"Regulating and legalising cannabis."
He explained how politicians confessing to drug use but doing 'nothing' about it isn't new.
Bill Clinton said he "didn't inhale" in 1992.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/parties/conservatives/david-cameron/david-lammy-pot-cameron-legalisation-marijuana/
Vid On Link
Bongme

hi
Police seize 195 cannabis plants from 'sophisticated' West End factory in the nick of time
More than half of the crop had been harvested
Cannabis plants worth over £180,000 were seized in Leicester's West End shortly before the drugs hit the streets.
Officers arrested two illegal immigrants - who were working as gardeners at the site - during a police raid at the converted premises in Celt Street on Friday July 12.
Elizabeth Dodds, prosecuting told Leicester Crown Court that 195 cannabis plants were found, of which 103 had already been harvested and were drying out, prior to being taken away.
She said 92 other plants were yet to be cropped at the "sophisticated set up," equipped with time-controlled ventilation, lighting and water pumps.
The electricity meter had been by-passed.
Miss Dodds said the potential street value of the all the illegal plants was estimated at about £186,000.
Yiber Dervishi, 29, and Erblin Duraku, 26, both admitted cannabis production, in their capacity as gardeners.
What the judge said
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: "No doubt it's true you both came here searching for a better life intending to send money back to your families in Albania.
"It is, of course, a sadness that people who choose, as you did, to enter the country unlawfully can then find themselves being exploited by those who may have assisted them in getting to this country.
"Whilst you were exploited, you weren't trafficked and you ended up acting as gardeners in a cannabis factory, which offers you some mitigation but isn't a defence.
"You did it knowing it was unlawful and were assisting in a relatively large scale commercial cannabis production operation.
"You're both in your 20's and have no convictions recorded against you.
"On your release you may be on licence, or it may be you're deported but that's a matter for the Home Office and not the court."
Mitigation for the gardeners
Tim Starkey, mitigating for Duraku, said: "He's described a difficult financial situation for his family in Albania.
"He was supporting his parents and disabled brother.
"His father had undergone a spinal operation.
"He came to the UK to seek a better life so he'd be able to send money back home."
Amar Mehta, for Dervishi, said: "It's a similar story, all too familiar to this court.
"His involvement was a lesser role and the Crown accepts that.
"He would voluntarily submit to deportation at the end of the sentence."
The sentence
Dervishi and Duraku, both of no fixed address, were each jailed for nine months.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/police-seize-195-cannabis-plants-3305012
Bongme

hi
Knuckle duster and thousands in cannabis and cash seized in Hatfield drug busts
More than £10,000 worth of cannabis has been seized from the streets of Hatfield - as well as £26,000 in cash and a knuckle duster - as Herts police continues to tackle drug dealing and its associated criminality.
Operation Scorpion is a specialist unit that tackles crimes such as burglaries, robberies and drug offences, by pursuing criminals and bringing them to justice.
Herts police revealed today that £3,000 worth of cannabis had been seized during a search of a man in Hatfield's Clarkson Court on August 9.
The man, aged 28 from London, was arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply. He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
Following intelligence gathered during the investigation, a search was carried out at an address in Clarkson Court and an estimated £7,000 worth of more cannabis was seized - along with approximately £5,900 in cash.
Another bust under Operation Scorpion came on August 14, when officers spotted a suspected drugs deal in Errington Close.
A 19-year-old man from Hatfield was subsequently detained and officers seized an estimated £3,000 worth of cannabis, along with a knuckle duster.
The man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs and possession of an offensive weapon, and has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
A warrant at an address in Tigermoth Avenue, Hatfield, was carried out as part of the investigation, with £20,570 cash being seized.
PC Angela Wilcox, from the Operation Scorpion team, said: "The drugs trade goes hand in hand with violence and exploitation of vulnerable people. Using or dealing cannabis is no exception.
"Drugs of any kind can destroy lives and inflict misery on communities so I hope that the public feel reassured by this significant seizure. Operation Scorpion will continue to do all we can to disrupt the drugs trade and ensure that Welwyn Hatfield is a safe place to live and work."
https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/hatfield-cannabis-drug-raids-1-6269395
Photos On Link
Bongme

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'CBD lubricant is a bestseller': cannabis oil products are booming – but does the science stack up?
It’s been hailed as a wonder ingredient, added to everything from ice-cream to hummus. But is CBD more than just a wellness trend?
• Plus, high-street products put to the test
Guardian
ast month, Lisa Jenkins went for a walk alone around her local park for an hour, the first time she had done so unaided for 13 months. Jenkins was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three. Now 46, she struggles with vertigo and dizziness, as well as muscle spasms and poor mobility. An Access to Work grant means that she can get a taxi to and from her job in advertising, but for the last three months she hasn’t needed one. The difference? She believes, a few drops of grassy-tasting oil under the tongue each morning.
“I have been using a 5% CBD oil for six months,” she says. “I previously took Duloxetine [an antidepressant medication also used to treat nerve pain] which was initially helpful, but my muscle-freezing episodes came back and I stopped taking it. I was also prescribed Valium, but you can’t take that during the working day.” A friend suggested she try the legal cannabis derivative. She has since been taking it every morning before work, using more during the day if her muscles become tight. “Within an hour of taking those first three drops, my muscles relax,” she says. “The stress in my head calms down. The longer I take it, the better things seem to be.”
Jenkins is one of an estimated 1.3 million UK consumers who spend a total of £300m a year on cannabidiol (CBD) products. The oil contains one of the non-psychoactive chemicals found in the hemp plant – not the illegal mind-altering THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that gets you high – and has been on the shelves of specialist health food shops and hemp “dispensaries” since 1998. It’s 21 years since the British government first issued a licence for a cannabis extract to be developed for use in clinical trials.
But in the last few years, it has leapt into the mainstream, acquiring the ubiquity of vitamin C and the social status of something much sexier. Most commonly consumed as an oil dropped under the tongue, CBD is also available as gummy sweets, capsules, body salves and e-liquids to vape. A CBD gold rush has led to an explosion of infused products, everything from soft drinks, tea and coffee to ice-cream, toothpaste and shampoo. You can get vaginal suppositories containing CBD (“weed tampons”) that are said to help with pelvic pain; CBD-infused deodorants and sexual lubricant (said to promote relaxation and increase blood flow); even CBD hummus, perhaps to snack on after your lubricated endeavours.
For CBD evangelists, it seems there is no health problem it can’t help – from chronic pain, depression, anxiety and skin conditions to insomnia. Many report that CBD improves concentration, memory and general mood, as well as reducing stress levels. But the products can’t legally make such claims; in the UK, CBD can be sold and advertised only as a generic food supplement. “We never use any medical terminology,” says Johan Obel, director of popular online CBD retailer the Drug Store, standing in front of a huge, gold-framed artwork of a nerve cell in its central London store. “If people come in asking for advice on a specific issue, we tell them to do their own research.” (He adds that their sexual lubricant is “by far one of our bestsellers”.)
The boom in CBD-infused products on the high street is reminiscent of short-lived fads of recent years, such as our brief fixation with chia seeds, turmeric (rendering lattes highlighter-yellow) or spirulina. Only, CBD does not seem to be going anywhere. On a recent walk through London I visited a cafe serving camomile and CBD lattes, passed a yoga studio advertising CBD classes, and a bar serving CBD-infused cocktails. The CBD acronym, with its suggestion of something illicit, is catnip to anxious consumers in need of something they can’t quite put their finger on.
“Most years there is a golden product – a ‘Holy cow, can you believe how much of this we’re selling?’ thing”, says Al Overton, buying director at Planet Organic. “There was the year of quinoa, the year of manuka honey, the year of the goji berry. Now it’s CBD. We have been selling CBD products in our supplement section for just over two years, and it’s been our fastest-growing product in that time. The majority of interested customers are female – especially those who feel that conventional pharmaceuticals aren’t working for them.” He thinks it’s too soon to tell how much of a fixture “infused” foods and drinks will become. “We see oils and capsules as more of a sophisticated and long-lasting trend, but it is early days with the ‘edibles’.”
I have been using CBD oil on and off for two years myself, finances permitting. It’s expensive: a bottle of 1,000mg (10%) CBD oil from Love Hemp, costing £49.99, lasts three weeks on average. I started because I wanted something to help with crippling period pain and associated symptoms, including anxiety. I love the taste; a bitter, herbaceous blast, like a joint dipped in strong extra-virgin olive oil. More importantly, when I take CBD regularly I notice that, when the dreaded week of cramping and gut chaos arrives, my perception of the pain shifts; I am aware of the sensations and their cause, but am less agitated by them. It feels as if the message of pain is being delivered in a different language. But does the science back me up?
***
Between 2002 and 2012 there were nine published studies on the use of CBD for the treatment of pain. By 2017, there had been 30. Almost all have shown potential benefits. However, with their small participant numbers, along with the fact that those participants are mostly rats, it is hard to make reliable claims about the human response. “Very few of the claims for CBD’s effects have actually been, or are being, tested,” says Dr Sagnik Bhattacharyya, of King’s College London’s (KCL) psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience unit. Scientists there have been investigating whether large doses of CBD could help treat severe mental health problems. “We have carried out a couple of studies where we show that a single 600mg dose of cannabidiol can normalise brain function in key regions we know are abnormal in people with psychosis,” he says. KCL now has funding to carry out a large-scale trial to test whether CBD could be useful in treating young people at high risk for developing psychosis. If successful, its new trial will provide “definitive proof” of CBD’s efficacy as an antipsychotic treatment, and pave the way for clinical use.
Meanwhile, Great Ormond Street hospital (GOSH) has published research showing that CBD has potential as a treatment for epilepsy, particularly for children with the severe, drug-resistant form known as Dravet syndrome. The study showed that CBD reduced seizures by nearly 40% for the 120 children who took part in the trial. Prof Helen Cross, consultant in paediatric neurology at GOSH, said: “The results of this study are significant, and provide us with firm evidence of the effectiveness of cannabidiol. This drug could make a considerable difference to children who are living with Dravet syndrome and endure debilitating seizures.”
CBD has also been shown to be helpful for decreasing the myriad symptoms of anxiety. In 2011, scientists from Brazil conducted a trial with people with social anxiety disorder. Participants were split into two groups; one received a single 600mg dose of CBD, the other a placebo. All subjects completed a simulated public-speaking test which involved choosing a topic from a pre-selected list on which to deliver a speech, directed at a television camera as if addressing a large audience. Those who received the CBD dose before the task experienced considerably reduced anxiety levels compared with the placebo group. Preliminary evidence from another trial, completed this year by scientists at the University of Colorado, also suggests that CBD may be helpful to those who struggle with anxiety-related sleep disturbances.
But there is currently little robust evidence to support the claims CBD users make for the oils, coffees and hummus available on the high street. So, if over a million people are finding these work, are we witnessing a global placebo effect?
***
The doses used in clinical trials tend to be much higher than you can buy commercially. “It’s usually between 600-1500mg, either as a one-off or repeated dose,” says Dr Chandni Hindocha, a research fellow with University College London’s clinical psychopharmacology unit, and part of a team researching whether CBD can help treat nicotine and other addictions (the results are promising so far). Hindocha emphasises the need for more research into dosing ranges. “There are no observational studies about the lower-dose products people are taking right now. We have no idea how much they’re taking and why they’re taking it.”
In the clinical trials Hindocha has worked on, most participants cannot differentiate between a 100mg dose of CBD and a placebo. “If most people are getting something like 50mg of CBD in a bottle, we need to think about what is going on,” she says. In her opinion one-off doses of CBD in popular edibles are unlikely to have any effect. “We know that the beneficial effects of CBD usually come from building up levels of it in the body,” she explains, but this is with the high trial doses. “There is currently no evidence to show what regular low doses, like 30 or 40mg a day, are doing.”
But what about the vast amount of anecdotal evidence for its efficacy, particularly in helping with chronic pain? Dee Montague, a press officer from Newport, Wales, was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2018, 18 years after first going to the doctor. The impact on her life has been striking. “I played roller derby for eight years but had to quit due to the pain and fatigue. I am completely exhausted by the time I get home from work and can barely function.”
She finds that CBD helps. In 2018, she began to experiment with an oil. “It took a week of regular doses to make any difference,” she says, but she was pleasantly surprised. “I found my cramps were far less intense. My sleep improved slightly, which made a real difference to my quality of life.” She then switched to a skin balm, because “the guidance is to avoid taking CBD oils within two hours of other prescribed medication” and she relies on daily medication for asthma. Montague has now been using a CBD-rich skin balm for a year, applying it to her stomach and pain spots on her legs every morning and night. The 100g jar she buys contains 1,000mg of CBD; Montague admits it is hard to know exactly how much CBD she is using each time, and does not view it as “a cure or painkiller, as such”. But the side-effects are nonexistent compared with opiates, she says. “ I feel far more in control of my pain and day-to-day life.”
CBD works by affecting the function of our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Made up of neurons (nerve cells), endocannabinoids (cannabis-like substances the body makes naturally) and cannabinoid receptors, the ECS is responsible for regulating the body’s systems to maintain homeostasis: keeping our internal temperature, blood sugar and pH levels balanced, along with the amount of water in the body. It tells the body when to start sweating (to cool down) and when to stop. Everything from chronic pain to migraines and epileptic seizures have been linked to ECS deficiency.
It is thought that when we introduce a new cannabinoid into the body, such as CBD, it binds with these receptors and, like a molecular power-up, increases the amount of natural cannabinoids in the body. CBD has also been shown to bind with receptors for serotonin (our feelgood molecule) and GABA (the molecule that calms the nervous system), increasing the amount available to the body – offering a potential explanation for CBD’s reported calming effects.
I asked Hindocha whether stories such as Montague’s suggest that such small doses could be having an impact? “It is very interesting,” she says, “because there is an argument that low doses of CBD could potentially affect inflammation in the body.” One complicating factor is metabolism. “When someone takes CBD oil, much of it will be broken down by the liver,” Hindocha explains. “Without knowing about their metabolism, we have no idea how much CBD they’re really absorbing.”
***
Before you can consider how much you’re absorbing, you need to know how much you’re taking in the first place: this year a major study by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis found that 38% of CBD oils contain less than half the amount of CBD stated on the label. Almost half (45%) of the products contained more than 0.2% of THC (the Home Office’s legal threshold) and, therefore, were technically illegal in the UK.
Browse the CBD shelf in your local health shop and you’ll find a huge variation of strengths on offer; but a higher CBD content means a higher price. Holland & Barrett sells a 10ml bottle of oil by Jacob Hooy containing 5% CBD for £29.99; Boots stocks 10ml bottles by Dragonfly containing 11.1% CBD for £70. One of the strongest products available is by Love Hemp: a 10ml bottle with 40% CBD, for £259.99. Love Hemp suggests a maximum daily dose of 200mg; while it is thought impossible to overdose on CBD, most producers offer guidance on dosing. I notice that none of the infused products carry warnings about maximum doses, age limits, or driving.
Hemp can be legally grown in the UK with a government licence, but is an incredibly small sector. It is estimated that only 810 hectares (2,000 acres) of hemp are currently cultivated in the UK’s 42m acres of agricultural land. When I visited a couple of rough-and-ready CBD outlets in London which, as well as oils, sold whole hemp flowers in clear plastic bags, it made me nervous about where it came from. I was routinely assured the flowers contained less than the legal 0.2% of THC. But how can a layperson, without access to a lab and a scientist to test it, really know?
The nice man running one of my local CBD shops – a modest outfit selling oils, e-liquids, balms and bongs – offered me tea and lots of convincing chat, but agreed that dosing essentially comes down to experimenting. The smell of his shop instantly, rather thrillingly, transported me to the top of the multistorey car park in Bishop’s Stortford, the locus of my teenage experimentation with marijuana. Perhaps that whiff of transgression contributes to CBD’s seductiveness? Even if we know it won’t get us high, it’s wellness with an edge.
The Drug Store’s Obel tells me that nearly all the CBD products in the UK originate from the same wholesalers; the extraction equipment is too expensive for smaller companies. “It takes a long time to figure out how to do it properly – only a few people actually have the knowledge,” he explains. In most cases, producers simply add the extract to their carrier oil of choice and put a new label on it.
Obel says the majority of his customers are women aged 40 and above. The audience for a recent in-store event, a panel discussion on the impact of stress, was 80% female. “From what we have seen, women want to self-educate and be responsible for their own health. They want to seek more options than those offered by traditional medicine,” he says. He does not believe the boom in CBD-infused high-street products like chocolate, tea and hummus will last: “We believe everyday products with CBD added will fade away. Products in which CBD is the actual active ingredient, or where CBD serves a specific purpose in supplements or cosmetics – those will most likely remain.”
***
That we currently have no idea of CBD’s full potential is at once incredibly exciting and frustrating. Without more dedicated research, the commercial market will remain something of a wild west. Meanwhile, people will continue to inform themselves, spending their money on products with, it seems, woolly efficacy. The costs will remain prohibitive to many. Meanwhile brands will continue merrily infusing their teas and ice-creams with nominal amounts of CBD, knowing that people will pay extra for the buzz cannabis brings.
I am now thinking more carefully about my own experimentation. Unless I pay close to £300 on a regular basis, for the highest strength of CBD oils commercially available – the only products that come close to what is being clinically tested – it strikes me that I may be experiencing a placebo effect. Then again, with the research in its infancy, I might not. So I will finish the bottle I have. Beyond that, the question is: how much am I willing to pay for a maybe?
A touch of grass: high-street CBD, taste-tested
Buddha Teas CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend (18 bags), £16.99
Buddha Teas CBD Matcha Green Tea Blend
They say “Our innovative process ensures that the CBD in our tea bags actually ends up in your tea.”
CBD count 5mg per bag
Our verdict “The taste is very subtle and the bags can rip, but I was surprised at how easily I fell (and stayed) asleep – I’m normally a very light sleeper.”
Themptation Hemp Chocolate Spreadables CBD vanilla spread, 165g, £5.05
Themptation Hemp Chocolate Spreadables CBD vanilla spread
They say “More seeds than sugar, more hemp than any other ingredient, packed with 10mg of organic CBD oil and vanilla.”
CBD count 10mg
Our verdict “This is so delicious and wholesome-tasting, it’s hard to separate that feelgood factor from any CBD effect. Definitely moreish; keep away from kids.”
Aussie ‘calm the frizz’ Shampoo, 300ml, £3.99
Aussie ‘calm the frizz’ Shampoo
They say “Our miraculous formula, with Australian hemp seed extract, will tame your mane in next to no time.”
CBD count Some cannabis sativa seed extract.
Our verdict “Foamy and minimally scented, this resulted in noticeably softer, smoother hair. Was that the hemp? I liked it more than other Aussie shampoos.”
Wunder Workshop turmeric x CBD Raw Chocolate Bliss bar , 40g, £6.99
Wunder Workshop turmeric x CBD Raw Chocolate Bliss bar
They say “With cacao from Peru; turmeric from Sri Lanka; and boosted with CBD.”
CBD count 16mg
Our verdict “I liked the taste – definitely got the turmeric – but no obvious relaxing effect.”
Nooro raw, vegan oat CBD bar in Cacao & Coconut, 45g, £2.95
Nooro raw, vegan oat CBD bar in Cacao & Coconut
They say “Our CBD is sourced from a small independent UK grower.”
CBD count 25mg
Our verdict “Pleasant initially, but followed by a soapy aftertaste. Quite sickly.”
BumbleZest ginger, turmeric and CBD shot, 60ml, £3.15
BumbleZest ginger, turmeric and CBD shot
They say “A natural fiery drink with a lemon base, designed to be taken as a health shot on the go.”
CBD count 2.5mg
Our verdict One tester found it “very acidic, quite unpleasant, made me sneeze”. Another loved the fieriness: “I felt energised and set up for the day. Or it could have been my morning swim.”
The Marshmallowist limited edition marshmallows, £15 for a box of six
The Marshmallowist limited edition marshmallows
They say “Crafted from organic CBD-infused mallow whipped to create a super-light texture. Do not exceed two marshmallows per day.”
CBD count 10mg per marshmallow
Our verdict “Great flavours (choose from cocoa, blood orange or grapefruit), very fluffy, not too sweet, these started life on a market stall and still have that premium feel.”
Drink 420 – CBD infused elderflower & lime or wild berry drink; 250ml, £2.29
Drink 420 – CBD infused elderflower & lime or wild berry drink
They say “Water. Zingy fruits. The legal bit from cannabis. Plant extracts. What could be purer?”
CBD count 15mg
Our verdict “Nice: there was something dry and hempy beneath the zing. I felt a bit spaced out – but was it the placebo effect?”
Themptation CBD Hummus, 190g, £4.75
Themptation CBD Hummus
They say “Packs an anti-inflammatory punch with a delicious herby sage taste.”
CBD count 13mg
Our verdict “I liked the grainy texture, but there was a strange aftertaste. I ate half the pot without thinking about it and felt spaced out afterwards – dinner at my mother-in-law’s was a very relaxed affair.”
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/sep/14/cbd-lubricant-bestseller-cannabis-oil-products-booming
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Warwickshire police seize 53 cannabis plants near Stoneleigh
Warwickshire Police have seized 53 cannabis plants after discovering a cannabis farm near Stoneleigh.
Officers with the Warwick Rural East Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) found the cannabis farm after following up on a report from the public and officers from the Warwick Rural East SNT attended the location on Sunday September 8.
Cannabis Farm Found - Good News Story September 2019
A cannabis farm was found containing 53 plants of varying sizes and maturity.
The set-up was dismantled, and the plants and equipment were seized for destruction.
A spokesperson with the Warwick Rural East SNT said: "We would like to thank members of the public who provide us with valuable information.
"The closure of this cannabis farm has aided the ongoing efforts to keep our communities safe from harm."
https://www.warwickcourier.co.uk/news/warwickshire-police-seize-53-cannabis-plants-near-stoneleigh-1-9071140
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Sheffield duo locked up over cannabis production
Two Sheffield men have been locked up for cannabis offences.
Fation Vukaj, aged 32, of Duke Street, Park Hill, and Bladar Lleshi, aged 18, of no fixed abode, both admitted cannabis production at Sheffield Crown Court this week.
Vukaj was jailed for two years and Lleshi received an 18 month sentence to be served at a young offenders institute.
It comes after police executed a search warrant at a property in Duke Street on August 1.
After the court hearing, PC Kevin Sibley said: “On entering the house, we discovered 121 cannabis plants being grown in the basement, the bedrooms and the attic. They also found a significant amount of plants in different stages of processing throughout the property.
https://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/crime/sheffield-duo-locked-over-cannabis-production-591829
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Police seize stash of cannabis plants in Revesby
Investigations are ongoing after a stash of cannabis plants were discovered in Revesby over the weekend.
A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Incident 240 of September 8 refers to a resident reporting a suspected cannabis grow of around 16 plants found behind some bushes in Revesby.
“These plants have been removed by officers.
“Investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been made.”
https://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/crime/police-seize-stash-of-cannabis-plants-in-revesby-1-9067042
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David Cameron says he got ‘off his head’ on cannabis at Eton
Independent
Former PM is latest in string of top conservatives to admit taking drugs
David Cameron has admitted to getting “off his head” on cannabis after smoking the drug while studying at Eton College.
The former prime minister had previously refused to acknowledge allegations that he had dabbled in drug use during his days at the elite private school which has produced 20 of the nation’s leaders – arguing that people are entitled to a private life before entering politics.
However, speaking to The Times, he has now admitted to being “off his head” after smoking cannabis at the college for 13 to 18 year olds.
He added that he smoked the drug again later in life with his wife Samantha, who he met on a family holiday at age 25 when he worked for the Conservative Party.
Mr Cameron is the latest in a string of top-flight conservative figures to have admitted engaging with drugs
In June Michael Gove admitted to taking cocaine on “several occasions” – a revelation that dogged his campaign to move into Number 10.
But his admission spurred others in the leadership race also to come clean on their history of drug use.
Rory Stewart admitted to having smoked opium at a wedding in Afghanistan, while Andrea Leadsom said she had smoked cannabis at university.
Jeremy Hunt said he may have had a Lassi containing the same drug while backpacking in India.
Boris Johnson meanwhile chose to deflect questions over drug use during his leadership run, after admitting to trying cocaine and cannabis in a 2007 interview in GQ.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-eton-cannabis-drugs-smoking-wife-samantha-a9104816.html
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Cannabis farm discovered in Abberton woodland
Police were called to a patch in a wooded area in Abberton after being informed about it by a member of the public.
Officers believe it to be cannabis and have shut down the site.
A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Thanks to an eagle eyed member of the public, officers from Colchester community policing team have found and seized approximately 60 cannabis plants from a wooded area in Abberton.
"Should the owner of the plants wish to come and speak to us about them, please feel free to pop into the police station which is open seven days a week.
"Alternatively, just give us a call, we will come and see you."
Anyone with information about cultivation should call 101.
https://www.halsteadgazette.co.uk/news/north_essex_news/17901366.cannabis-farm-discovered-abberton-woodland/
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Mum caught trying to smuggle cannabis worth up to £1,600 to friend in prison
Emma Curnow, 38, was caught with a stash of drugs down the front of her jeans as she visited HMP Parc in Bridgend
A mother was caught by a sniffer dog attempting to smuggle cannabis into prison for a friend.
Emma Curnow, 38, was stopped as she tried to enter HMP Parc in Bridgend on January 9 after staff gained intelligence that she would be carrying drugs on her person.
She was searched and a sniffer dog recognised the smell of drugs on her so she was taken to a side room.
When asked if she was concealing anything Curnow reached down to the front of her jeans and pulled out a small package wrapped in cling film, which was later found to contain 22g of cannabis with a prison value between £440 and £1,600.
Officers searched her home in St David’s Avenue, Llantwit Major, and found a black bag which also contained cannabis.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard Curnow was approached by an unknown man in Barry who gave her the package and told her to give it to her friend Melvyn Chesaites on her next prison visit.
She said she felt intimidated by the man and was “frightened” and “scared”. She decided to take a look inside the package and saw what she believed to be cannabis.
When she spoke to Mr Chesaites by phone he asked her to bring the package as he needed to pay off a debt.
Despite having misgivings the court heard Curnow decided to go ahead with the plan due to fears for herself and her eight-year-old son. She later pleaded guilty to conveying a prohibited item into prison.
Sentencing, Judge Michael Fitton QC told the defendant he would not be sending her to prison as her son “did not deserve to be deprived of her”.
He added: “You were foolish enough to do this for someone else while under pressure but the risk you are exposing your son to is disproportionate to the gain of anybody else.”
Curnow was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for 12 months.
She was also ordered to carry out a 12-day rehabilitation activity requirement, complete 120 hours unpaid work, and pay £200 court costs.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/emma-curnow-court-drugs-prison-16916551
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Cannabis farm found hidden in secret cellar at Leeds business premises
Police found 276 cannabis plants hidden in a cellar when they raided business premises in Leeds.
Officers made the discovery when they went to the property on Roseville Road, Sheepscar, on August 1 this year after receiving information that it was being used to farm the class B drug.
Leeds Crown Court heard a trap door to a cellar was found beneath a mattress on the ground floor.
Police went into the cellar and discovered 106 potted cannabis plants, each around five feet tall.
The cellar was fitted with heat lamps, extractor fans and an electrical transformer.
Eighty plants were then found in another room which was fitted with more growing equipment.
Read more: Leeds conwoman back behind bars for targeting elderly victims
Another room was searched and a further 90 plants were found.
Michael Smith, prosecuting, said a fridge and clothing in the property indicated that someone had been living there.
Officers arrested Christo Lena at the premises.
Mr Smith said Lena had Greek nationality documents but it was not known how long he had been in the UK.
Lena's fingerprints were found on extractor fans.
Read more: Schoolboy suffered fractured skull and bleeding to the brain in street gang attack
The defendant was interviewed about the discovery but made to comment other than to confirm that the mattress and the clothing at the property belonged to him.
Lena, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.
Robert Wyn Jones, mitigating, said Lena came to the UK in October and he was told by others he would be given a job as a painter and decorator.
Mr Wyn Jones said Lena was ordered to work as a gardener looking after the plants.
Lena was jailed for eight months and told it was likely that he would be deported after completing his sentence.
The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl, QC, said: "This was plainly an operation capable of producing significant quantities of cannabis for commercial purposes.
"You were looking after and tending the plants."
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/cannabis-farm-found-hidden-in-secret-cellar-at-leeds-business-premises-1-9993640
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Dad turns Birstall home into cannabis factory after wife refuses to live there
The police found the illegal grow along with £34,420 in cash
A married father turned his newly renovated home into a cannabis factory after his wife refused to move in, a court heard.
Rakesh O'Dedra had 36 plants growing at the house in Woodgate Drive, Birstall.
A hydroponic watering system was installed and the electricity meter had been by-passed.
When the police searched O'Dedra's family home in Halkin Steet, Belgrave, Leicester, they seized £34,420 in cash - which the judge said was likely to have been profit from earlier grows.
O'Dedra, 34, pleaded guilty to cannabis production and possessing criminal property, the seized money, on April 11, 2017.
Ben Gow, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court: "When officers executed a search warrant at the address in Woodgate Drive, they found the cannabis plants and growing equipment.
"Several windows had the daylight blocked out.
"There were 36 cannabis plants capable of reaching full maturity with a value of between £13,000 and £25,200."
Mr Gow said a police expert concluded the system in place was capable of larger crops in "significant quantities".
He said: "This was the defendant's own commercial operation."
What the judge said
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: "In April 2017 you were almost literally caught red-handed producing cannabis.
"In addition to that you were found to be in possession of a large amount of cash, approaching £35,000.
"It seems appropriate to treat that money as the proceeds of earlier grows.
"That tells us something about the scale of your operation.
"It was commercial production at a medium level intended for you to profit from as you plainly had in the past.
"I accept there may have been personal circumstances that caused you to be under pressure, but it's hard to understand why those matters should have led you to offending in the way you have.
"You saw a commercial opportunity and you took it.
"I've read and considered references in relation to you.
"You're also a man of previous good character.
"Nevertheless you engaged in the commercial production of a class B drug and were concerned in a profitable business."
The judge rejected an earlier defence suggestion that the criminal money seized came from tax evasion, rather than drugs.
The defendant now faces having the money confiscated by the court in a proceeds of crime hearing in December.
What was said in mitigation of O'Dedra
Errol Ballentyne, mitigating, said: "The house was bought in 2016 in a dilapidated state.
"It was going to be the family home for his wife and children.
"The position altered because his wife didn't want to move to the house because it would mean the children would have to change schools.
"He'd spent a lot of time decorating it and it was put on the rental market but they didn't receive any interest.
"He was approached by someone who said they would use the house - and he allowed it to happen.
He knew and didn't stop them, although he didn't realise the scale."
Mr Ballentyne said the defendant was currently holding down two jobs to support his family - working nights at a supermarket and also as a carer.
He said: "He feels shame.
"He was well respected within the community and that's been tarnished."
Mr Ballentyne said the defendant's wife and one of his young children had suffered serious medical issues at the time and he had been "under a lot of pressure."
O'Dedra was jailed for a total of two years and four months.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/dad-turns-birstall-home-cannabis-3309716
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Binman disqualified from driving after excess cannabis found in system
A BINMAN has been disqualified from driving after he was stopped by police with excess cannabis in his system.
The court heard that Peter Radwell, 55, of Pinkerton Road, South Ham, was off duty and on a “short journey” when he was stopped by police.
Defending, Ms Cheesman said that Radwell had been smoking cannabis the previous evening, using it as a medicine for an injury he had suffered.
It was also noted by the court that the police had only pulled him over for a “discrepancy in paperwork” which was rectified.
When stopped by the officers, a roadside test discovered the presence of drugs which was confirmed by a blood test.
He had 2.8 micrograms per litre of blood, just over the limit.
Summing up, Chairman of Magistrates, Deborah Luff, said: “We have got no alternative but to disqualify you from driving.”
As well as the 12-month driving ban, Radwell was issued with a £340 fine, as well as a victim surcharge of £34 and costs of £85.
https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/17899445.binman-disqualified-driving-excess-cannabis-found-system/
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More Scots Support Cannabis Legalisation Than Oppose It
A new poll by The Times has found that 47% of the Scottish public support Cannabis legalisation for adult use. This figure compares to just 37% of those against legalisation, and 17% who are ‘unsure’.
The results are similar to those of a poll carried out in the whole of the UK, in July. The survey by the Conservative Drug Policy Reform
Political Affiliation
The survey also recorded the political affiliation of respondents. Those who voted for the Scottish National Party were the most likely to support Cannabis legalisation, with 59% of these voters backing policy reform. This compares to 45% of Labour voters, 44% of Liberal Democrat voters, and just 34% of Conservative voters.
Cannabis Use
When looking at Cannabis use in the UK, the Conservative Drug Policy Reform froup found that a third of their 1,690 respondents had tried Cannabis in the past. In comparison, the Scottish poll found that 78% of respondents had previously used Cannabis.
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in most countries around the world, with the UK being no exception. The Times survey also indicated that Cannabis users were the least likely to develop substance abuse problems from the drug.
Support for Cannabis legalisation has been on the rise in the UK, over the last few years. The percentage of those in support of reform increased by 5% compared to the previous year. July’s survey also found that 77% of respondents believed that medical Cannabis should be legal.
Political Opinion
Public opinion seems to have also crossed over into the political sphere. In 2017, the Liberal Democrats added Cannabis legalisation to their manifesto. Sir Normal Lamb, joined by a Labour and a Conservative MP recently flew to Canada, to learn about their legal Cannabis framework. On their return, the cross-party MPs predicted that Cannabis would be legal in the UK in the next 5-10 years.
https://canex.co.uk/more-scots-support-cannabis-legalisation-than-oppose-it/
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Why black British parents should get their youth to enter the medical cannabis industry
The one thing that is clear is that, while those sitting in jail for weed may be black, when cannabis legalisation eventually hits our shores, it will be dominated by white men in suits
Independent
Just why is Sir Simon Woolley, founder of Operation Black Vote, calling for people of colour to get involved in the UK’s burgeoning medical cannabis space? Because, as he put it at an event in London this week, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”
Young men from a black and ethnic minority (BME) background make up about 51 per cent of the UK’s youth prison population despite constituting just 13 per cent of the population at large.
As Sir Simon details, these figures can be explained, in large part, by the disproportionate impact that drug law enforcement has on BME people in the UK, through practices like stop and search.
I have spent much of this year observing the great, the good and the just plain greedy of this growing cannabis industry in the UK. The one thing that is clear is that, while those sitting in jail for weed may be black, when cannabis legalisation eventually hits our shores, it will be dominated by white men in suits.
It is not surprising that big money follows marijuana. Even with cannabis stocks currently taking a pummeling in the financial markets, estimates suggest the global legal industry will grow to $66.3 billion by 2023.
Indeed as Shaleen Title, commissioner of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, pointed out, cannabis represents a once in a lifetime opportunity in an industry in which the playbook is still being created.
“We get to decide how much influence we will have on it. Our choice will absolutely make an impact seven generations into the future, and further,” she explained.
As Canadian post-secondary schools roll out courses on the cannabis economy, from production to applied science, and US universities allow students to enroll in classes from marijuana law and policy to journalism, the industry represents a ripe opportunity for our youth.
But for people of colour, in the UK and beyond, the potential impact extends beyond money. It’s a chance to shape the future industry in a way that repairs the disproportionate harm that the war on drugs has caused to our communities.
A 2019 report by Vienna-based think tank has even gone so far as to explore the extent to which the industry could be structured to meet the aims of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
The report authors found that the potential of cannabis, in appropriately regulated settings, is transformative for our societies, “so long as ethical practices and sustainable approaches are kept central.”
The reality is that, at present, big money is shaping the debate on the future of cannabis in the UK. Black folk’s hesitancy to enter the space surrounding what is still a controlled substance is not surprising given the decades of racist propaganda churned out as part of the war on drugs.
Yet if we want proper answers to tough questions such as the potential correlation between psychosis and cannabis use, or how to successfully move people from the illicit to the regulated side of the trade, it will be down to us and the generations that follow to ensure that BME youths are not just on the agenda but a core part of future policy and practice.
It is about time we, as a community, reconceptualise the way we think about this plant. Because as cannabis becomes commoditised, the price of the crop will inevitably fall.
We need to stop thinking of our youth as slinging bags of weed on street corners. Forward-thinking countries, particularly in the Caribbean, are creating industries that add value to this plant through ancillary industries including intellectual property, real estate, technology and tourism.
As Martin Drewery, CEO of Poverty Action Group, said in an interview earlier this year, “There's even an opportunity here – we have the chance to create an entirely new legitimate sector from the ground up.”
The decision is ours as to whether this opportunity is one we seize or squander.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/legal-medical-cannabis-black-british-youths-bame-industry-profit-racism-marijuana-a9095511.html
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Peebles student given unpaid work order for dealing cannabis
A university student has been ordered to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work for dealing drugs.
Police officers seized 58.7 grammes of cannabis, valued at £1,100, and £710 in cash during a raid at Callum Lothian’s home in Glensax Road in Peebles on April 10.
Defence lawyer Ross Dow told Selkirk Sheriff Court the 19-year-old was ordinarily of good character and had muchto contribute to society.
Lothian was also given a six-month night-time home curfew.
https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/crime/peebles-student-given-unpaid-work-order-for-dealing-cannabis-1-5003642
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This dopey dealer was caught using Royal Mail to deliver drugs around the country
Steven Taylor, of Jarrow, supplied customers with cannabis through the post but was rumbled by sorting office staff in Gateshead
A dopey dealer was caught using Royal Mail to deliver drugs around the country.
From his Tyneside home, Steven Taylor supplied customers near and far with cannabis, a court heard.
The 25-year-old, from Jarrow, was rumbled after one of the parcels - a cylinder marked "medical cannabis" - was intercepted by sorting office staff in Gateshead, on its way to Berkshire.
When police raided his home, they found hundreds of pounds of the drugs and several hundred similar cylinders, plus £6,200 in cash.
A financial investigation revealed more than £26,000 in unexplained money had passed through his accounts and a search of his mobile phone showed a quarter of all text messages related to drug dealing.
Prosecutor Alec Burns told Newcastle Crown Court: "This came to light because on November 17, 2016, an envelope was intercepted in the Royal Mail office at the Team Valley, addressed to Berkshire.
"The police examined it and found two plastic containers labelled medical cannabis."
Mr Burns said the value of the cannabis in the seized packaged was between £40 and £60.
When police raided his home, officers found 92.31g of cannabis, worth over £900.
The court heard Taylor claimed the cylinders in his home were for "storage" and denied sending the envelope which was seized by the police, despite his fingerprints being on it.
But Taylor, of Durham Grove, Jarrow, admitted attempting to supply a controlled drug of Class B and possession of a Class B drug with intent.
Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Taylor, who has just become a father, to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 150 hours’ unpaid work and rehabilitation requirements.
She told him: "Using the postal service and supplying cannabis through it is very serious."
The judge said cannabis supply provides cash to criminal gangs.
Gavin Doig, defending, said Taylor, who has no previous convictions, now realises how serious his offending was.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/steven-taylor-drugs-royal-mail-16908439
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Daredevil dad skydives to fund medical cannabis for sick East Kilbride boy
Mark Simpson leapt from 10,000ft in aid seven-year-old Cole Thomson who suffers from severe epilepsy and whose family are campaigning for medical cannabis treatment on the NHS.
A daredevil dad jumped out of a plane to help fund six month’s worth of cannabis oil treatment for East Kilbride boy Cole Thomson.
Mark Simpson plunged 10,000ft through the air in a sponsored skydive in aid of Cole’s Fund and raised more than £2000 for the cause.
He was joined by his 18-year-old sister Vicky who completed the hair-raising challenge at ‘Skydive St Andrews’ in Glenrothes for another cause.
And Mark’s phenomenal donation was matched by big-hearted businessman John Beattie, of Glasgow finance firm The BT Partnership, taking the grand total to £4190.
Their generosity will ensure Cole’s family can afford to pay the £700 a month private prescription for the unlicensed CBD oil to keep the seven-year-old’s epileptic seizures at bay.
Mark, 33, from Strathaven, told the News: “It was a no-brainer when coming to the decision to help out and do my bit.
“Seeing a child suffer, particularly having my own family now, I feel if you can help when you should.
“The campaign really took a hold and I was heading towards the £1000 mark within a couple of weeks. That’s when John and Sandra came forward and said they were going to match pound-for-pound everything I raised.
“It’s an unbelievable gesture and it meant every pound I managed to raise would be worth double.
“With regards to the experience itself, it was unreal and very hard to describe the feeling of throwing yourself out a plane, freefalling for 30 seconds and then gliding back down to earth – it was all a bit surreal.
“It was great having Lisa, Cole and Dylan there to support me and also remind me why I was doing it – it really was a fantastic experience.”
The hefty donation comes just weeks after £1100 was collected for Cole’s medicine at a fundraising gig in the Village Inn where Lewis Capaldi’s brother, Warren, performed live.
Cole’s delighted mum Lisa Quarrell said: “The jump has raised enough money to pay for six months of oil for Cole – a massive £4190.
“I am so grateful to everyone – you guys are amazing thank you so so much.”
Aside from having a couple of mini seizures while holidaying in Turkey recently, Cole, who had suffered up to 10 seizures a day, has been seizure-free since starting medical cannabis treatment.
Ex-cop Lisa spent thousands of pounds bringing the drug Bedrolite to the UK illegally, but her son is now being prescribed cannabis oil legally by a private hospital in London.
Cole was the first child in the country to obtain the Bedrocan product legally from a local pharmacy, with an East Kilbride pharmaceutical company importing it ‘at cost’ for the family.
But, even at cost price, a 10ml bottle of Bedrolite is £170 and lasts just four days meaning Lisa has to fundraise to pay the £700 a month prescription.
Lisa has called on Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman to authorise ‘compassionate funding’for the drug from NHS Scotland.
The 37-year-old mum-of-two added: “The Cole we have now is the best he’s ever been. We are seeing more of his personality, like the fog has been lifted. I have assured him I will keep fighting to keep him well.”
Supporting Lisa’s plight, donor John Beattie added: “We became involved because my wife Sandra knows Lisa and we saw a few videos which Lisa had posted showing Cole having his seizures.
“We just wanted to help, we could not simply sit back and do nothing when we knew we were in a position to do something.
“It is clear that the use of medicinal cannabis oil is having such a profound positive impact on children like Cole – delaying the issuing of a prescription could easily be fatal.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/watch-daredevil-dads-skydive-fund-20050199
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Cannabis extract CBD overtakes Vitamin C and D as most popular health supplement
Daily Star
Sales of the product have rocketed as people ditch traditional remedies
Sales of CBD oil have rocketed as consumers go wild for the cannabis extract which has become a popular food supplement.
CBD is a chemical substance found in cannabis or hemp that has reported medical benefits, such as reducing stress, inflammation and insomnia.
It is legal in the UK as long as it does not contain THC, the active ingredient in cannabis which gets you high and is a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Despite a lack of rigorous scientific studies into the oil's benefits, people have reported it helps them with chronic pain conditions.
The size of the UK CBD market is believed to be £300m per year with 1.3m active users, according to the latest findings.
This is larger than the total UK Vitamin D (£145m) and Vitamin C market (£119m) combined.
The market is currently growing at a huge rate and is expected to be just short of £1bn by 2025.
This would be equivalent to the entire UK herbal supplement market in 2016.
However the NHS says on its website: "Many cannabis-based products are available to buy online, but their quality and content is not known. They may be illegal and potentially dangerous.
"Some products that might claim to be medical cannabis, such as 'CBD oil' or hemp oil, are available to buy legally as food supplements from health stores. But there's no guarantee these are of good quality or provide any health benefits."
Supplement manufacturers are now calling on the UK Government to clear up the legislation around CBD use.
“The benefits of CBD are now being better publicised as a huge volume of research is released across the globe,” says Paul Waite, founder of company New Leaf CBD.
“Our aim is to help bring these benefits to their customers by producing carefully researched and diligently tested CBD supplements.”
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/cannabis-extract-cbd-overtakes-vitamin-19970157
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Dundee man who glassed girlfriend’s brother in row over cannabis is jailed
A man who glassed his girlfriend’s brother in a Christmas Day rammy sparked by cannabis has been jailed.
Peter Calame-Mascoll previously admitted smashing a glass over Josiah Herd’s head at a house on St Mary’s Road on December 25 last year.
It was revealed the pair got into a heated argument after Calame-Mascoll was seen smoking cannabis in the back garden.
The pair began pushing and shoving each other with their fight spilling over into the house where horrified family members begged them to stop brawling.
Mr Herd suffered a two-inch cut above his left brow as well as bruising and swelling. He received nine stitches which medics said would likely leave permanent scarring.
Calame-Mascoll, 23, pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to striking Mr Herd to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement under provocation.
Solicitor Jim Laverty today said Calame-Mascoll had shown “genuine regret and remorse” for his actions and urged Sheriff Alastair Brown to impose a non-custodial sentence.
He said: “He describes the incident as incredibly sad and something he will have to live with for the rest of his life.
“My client accepts his responsibility and bitterly regrets the way that things happened that particular day.
“Since this incident he has not used cannabis. He identifies that as a trigger but there is nothing to suggest this incident occurred because he was under the influence of cannabis.”
Before sentencing Calame-Mascoll to 16 months in prison, Sheriff Brown said: “Assault with a glass is an offence which I see far too frequently in this court.
“It’s an offence which is always serious. The provocation is very significant but I consider it is still my duty to impose a custodial sentence.
“Nothing else is adequate.”
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-man-who-glassed-girlfriends-brother-in-row-over-cannabis-is-jailed/
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'Don't apply to go on Brain of Britain', judge advises cannabis grower
A MAN who grew cannabis to wean himself off heroin, in breach of a suspended sentence for dealing Class A drugs, was advised by a judge not to apply for Brain of Britain.
John Crowther spent £600 setting up the drug farm because he was desperate to beat his long-standing addiction, Bradford Crown Court heard.
Crowther, 51, was caught nurturing 18 cannabis plants, having bypassed the electricity supply at the home he shared with his disabled mother.
He pleaded guilty to production of cannabis on June 26 last year.
Prosecutor Dave MacKay said that Crowther was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, in December, 2017, for possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.
He and a co-defendant were arrested in Shipley in May, 2017, with 46 wraps of Class A drugs and a dealer list.
Crowther was not sent immediately to jail because he was the sole carer for his mother.
Three months later, he began growing cannabis at his home in Heights Lane, Eldwick, Bingley.
When police raided the address, they found two rooms of plants, with lighting and ventilators.
Mr MacKay said the drug had a street value of around £15,000 if split into deals and was worth up to £9,000 if sold in bulk.
Crowther said he had been a heroin addict for 20 years and wanted to make cannabis oil for his personal use.
The court heard his disabled mother depended on him.
He used to spend every penny on heroin and he had foolishly decided to switch to cannabis instead of getting professional help.
“It was a misguided attempt at rehabilitation,” the court was told.
Crowther bypassed the electricity supply because he was on a carer’s allowance and Universal Credit and could not afford to grow the cannabis any other way.
The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, told Crowther he had made a very stupid mistake and he did not expect to see him again.
“I really would suggest that you don’t apply to go on Brain of Britain,” the judge said.
Crowther could have set the house on fire by tampering with the electricity supply.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a rehabilitation activity requirement and a drug treatment requirement, along with a six month electronically monitored curfew order.
Crowther’s mother, who attended court in a wheelchair, thanked Judge Durham Hall for sparing her son jail.
The judge warned her that Crowther must not breach the order, saying: “Do tell him, I’ll lock him up.”
The Brain of Britain show referenced by the judge is a BBC radio general knowledge quiz, which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
Its origins can be traced back to the 1950s, when it began as a slot in What Do You Know?
Over the decades, references to the show have often been used in light-hearted conversation when discussing intelligence.
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/17893466.39-don-39-t-apply-go-brain-britain-39-judge-advises-cannabis-grower/
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East Lancashire man on his way back from London cannabis party stopped by police
A PASSENGER in a car stopped by police handed over a rucksack which he admitted contained cannabis.
Blackburn magistrates heard the officers discovered a number of jars and tins containing different varieties of the drug.
And Mohammed Hashim Shah told them he was on his way home from a cannabis party in London.
Shah, 33, of Commercial Street, Brierfield, pleaded guilty to possessing 38.7 grams of cannabis.
He was made subject to a community order for eight months with six month drug rehabilitation requirement and 10 days rehabilitation activity requirement.
He was also made subject to a curfew between 9pm and 6am for six weeks and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
Joanne Cronshaw, prosecuting, said police stopped a car in Staffordshire and Shah was the front seat passenger.
As well as the cannabis the police recovered a set of scales which Shah said he had to make sure he didn't get ripped off by dealers.
Mrs Cronshaw said Shah had a previous conviction for possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/17897457.east-lancashire-man-way-back-london-cannabis-party-stopped-police/
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